John Stones has passed a fitness test and will start – as much as one can second-guess Pep Guardiola’s tactical intentions – at right back. He’ll stand in for the injured Kyle Walker. Joao Cancelo misses out through suspension. Gabriel Jesus, fresh from his four-goal romp against Watford, keeps his place in the front three as reward.
There’s some good injury news for Real Madrid, too. David Alaba has recovered from a hamstring problem and starts in the heart of the Real defence.
The teams
Manchester City: Ederson, Stones, Dias, Laporte, Zinchenko, De Bruyne, Rodri, Bernardo Silva, Mahrez, Gabriel Jesus, Foden.
Subs: Ake, Sterling, Gundogan, Grealish, Steffen, Fernandinho, Carson, Egan-Riley, Mbete-Tabu, Palmer, McAtee, Lavia.
Real Madrid: Courtois, Carvajal, Eder Militao, Alaba, Mendy, Valverde, Kroos, Modric, Rodrygo, Benzema, Vinicius Junior.
Subs: Vallejo, Nacho, Asensio, Marcelo, Lunin, Casemiro, Lucas, Bale, Ceballos, Isco, Camavinga, Fuidias.
Referee: Istvan Kovacs (Romania).
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Preamble
Yeah, yeah, Real Madrid have been champions of Europe 13 times, while Manchester City’s tally stubbornly remains a big old fat round zero. But then lookie here at the two clubs’ all-time head-to-head record:
Real Madrid: P6 W2 D2 L2 F7 A7
Manchester City: P6 W2 D2 L2 F7 A7
Pep Guardiola, with reference to all those big-eared trophies in the display cabinet at the Bernabéu, says that “if we have to compete with history, we don’t have any chance.” You get his point, and yet history can be City’s friend, too, because it’s just two years ago when they beat Real 2-1 away and 2-1 at home, to knock the Spanish club out at the round of 16. It’s the last time they met, so surely those are the most pertinent numbers of all.
With both teams in the box seat to win their domestic leagues, this is a heavyweight clash between two in-form sides all right. Will old-school, sepia-toned glamour prevail, or is it time for the sleek modern superclub to seize the day? Both teams are three games from glory. Kick-off at the City of Manchester Stadium is at 8pm BST. It’s on!